For a cast composed entirely of girls, such as a girls’ camp or school, this play can be given with gymnasium suits forming part of the costumes for both Merrymount lads and Puritans.  The girls can wear the bloomers of their gymnasium suits fastened with a ribbon-garter, so as to make the puffed seventeenth century garb.  The ribbon should be gay in color and fastened either with a rosette or a bow.  White, soft loose waists, with rather full long sleeves.  The cloaks of cambric in bright colors should come to the ankles, the glazed side worn outward, to give a satiny look.  The cloaks for the Puritans should be of the same length, made of black cambric, with the glazed side turned in.  They should wear black cotton waists, and it will be easy and simple for the girls to fashion the white cuffs and collars out of white lawn or cheesecloth.  The whole play can thus be costumed for a very small sum.  If a further touch of color is to be added to the costumes of the Merrymount lads, their gay cloaks may be topped with white lace collars.  Their stockings can be gay in color, and here and there a slashed jerkin will add variety.  The maidens of Merrymount can wear dresses of cambric, made on the simplest possible lines.  The color scheme of the foregoing costumes should, in the main, be adhered to.  The ribbon-garters and stockings may match in color.  Pale-blue, orange, purple, jade, corn-yellow, and hunter’s green will prove effective.  No pink or old rose should be worn, as scarlet is the high note of color in the play.

MUSIC:  Any quaint old-time maypole dance will do for the maypole rout.  The words and music of “Fortune, My Foe” can be found in Chappell’s “Popular Musk of Antiquity,” Vol.  I, page 62.

PAGEANT DIRECTIONS

The Hawthorne Pageant can be produced either indoors or out of doors.  For the outdoor production there should be a level sward with trees right, left, and background.  It is suitable for any of the Spring, Summer, or Autumn months, or for Hawthorne’s birthday, July 4.

For an indoor production of the pageant if a green woodland set cannot be had, green screens with pine branches fastened to them, a green or brown floor-cloth, and forest-green hanging filling in the background may be used.  Pine trees in green stands around which green and brown burlap is banked is another way of having an inexpensive and realistic scene setting. The setting for the whole pageant is the same.  It can be given in an assembly hall, gymnasium, or armory.

The costumes for the episodes have already been indicated.  The pageant may be given by a cast made up entirely of girls, if it is so wished.

THE MUSE OF HAWTHORNE.  Pale-pink cheesecloth draperies.  A tall white staff, on which is fastened a cluster of pink hawthorn blossoms.  Flowing hair, and a chaplet of laurel leaves.  White stockings and sandals.